A shadow of me
by hazelnut45
Summary: President Grey is searching for a cure to save the kids, but most importantly to save his son, Clancy. They begin experimenting on Oranges. Ruby just so happens to be at Thurmond at the wrong time. in this version ruby in unsuccessful in trying to trick the scientist into thinking that she is a green, so she is taken to be tested on. I hope the story is better than my summary.
1. A spark

A spark

Prologue

**Name: Doctor Emery Stantony**

**Date: August 14th 2053**

**Test cure #: 176**

**Subject #: 143**

**Gender: Female**

**Age: 16**

**Classifications: Orange**

**Recent camps: Thurmond**

**Notes: Subject seems to be reacting to serum by twitching and shivering. She screams occasionally and seems to mutter things. I believe that if it weren't for the shackles she'd be walking out of here. Surgery will take approximately three hours and recovery time will be estimated to be a couple of days.**

My mind raced. This was going to be a complicated surgery. The cold, white room was mostly empty except for the few nurses and the patient. The nurses that walked beside me handed me my mask and white lab coat.

"Dr. should we put her under first?" they asked holding up the syringe full of clear liquid.

"No, I do believe that this will go better if it is awake." I slipped on my rubber gloves, ignoring the shocked faces of the nurses.

"What about the pain, she may receive severe trauma." One of the young nurses exclaimed. Everyone else knew that once I had decided on something I didn't change.

"Monique is it?" I asked but didn't give her enough time to respond. "If you are going to criticize my work, I would be pleased to escort you to the door." I said dryly. All I wanted was to see my boy, his little cheery face and watch him play his piano again. If only I could figure this cure out.

It was a plague that killed most kids and turned the rest into monster, therefore there should be a cure to save them. I looked up at Monique, but she had already looked back down and was fiddling with a scalpel.

"Can we carry on now?" My voice seemed to float all around the room. As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone started running around doing things, even if they didn't have a job.

* * *

My gloves were full of blood. The surgery was almost done; I stitched up the small opening I had made at the base of her skull. We had given her quite a large dose of FRP009Y to keep her from passing out. She screamed and kicked, but nothing was going to stop me.

"Needle." I said with my arm outstretched. Someone passed me the syringe full of the last part of the antidote. I injected it right near the incision.

"Done." She kicked more violently and screamed as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did.

Had my most recent batch of the antidote failed? It seemed it had. We all stared at her in horror. It was no shock that the surgery had failed. I couldn't even remember all the other test subjects we've had.

All the nurses looked at me wondering if I was going to give the signal. I nodded. One nurse stepped forward with a syringe meant to end the misery of the young girl.

Suddenly, as if she knew that if she yelled once more she'd be dead, she stopped. I stopped the nurse, rushing to the girl's side. I checked her pulse once, then again. She was alive. Not even the FRP009Y could keep her from passing out.

A spark lit inside my chest. For the first time my attempts could possibly have worked. I could finally see my little boy.

The nurses buzzed around me but I pushed them back.

"No one touches." My voice was small compared to the chaos in the room. Soon Psi soldiers were being rushed into the room. One of them stopped by me. I stared in awe over his shoulder. He shook me and asked the question that I'd been asking myself.

"Did it work?" they needed to know, everyone needed to know. I shook my head and smiled.

"I- I think so." my stomach fluttered, how many kids had died since I started my research. Thousands, millions?

I watched still awe struck as the guards gently lifted the girl and brought her someplace safe. I caught one guard by his arm.

"What about my son." I needed him. My eyes swelled. "I need to save him." The Psi looked back at me with pity.

"You are authorized to report this, and continue research for an easier way to cure the children. We can't put thousands of kids through this surgery that took you well over four hours." What, four hours, I had only thought it to take us three hours at max. they weren't going to let me have my son back.

Sadness washed over me. My joy, my little ray of sun, how could they put him right under my nose and then snatch him back. The soldier pulled away and marched out of the room, leaving me and a whole bunch of blood.

I sat down at my computer staring at the screen. I looked to its right to the only picture I had left of my son and wife. He looked so much like her, of course this had been quite a few years back. I stared for a moment longer, before I couldn't take it anymore.

I looked back at the screen and began typing my research.

**Name: Doctor Emery Stantony**

**Date: August 14th 2053**

**Test cure #: 176**

**Subject #: 143**

**Gender: Female**

**Age: 16**

**Classification: orange**

**Resent camps: Thurmond**

**Notes: Subject was given quite a large dose of FRP009Y to prevent it from passing out. It continued to scream. The surgery took well over four hours. After surgery subject seemed to scream more. We had been ready to end it, when she stopped. She passed out, it seemed that even the FRP009Y could not keep her from passing out. I will sadly continue research for a simpler way to cure the children.**

I shut my eyes as the last bit of hope withered away. The spark that had occupied my chest before, now seemed to burn. It burned my hope, my joy and all other things that kept me searching.

Without thinking I got up and walked over to wear the needle that the nurse had been about to give the girl had fallen. This would have put her out of her misery; it could certainly do the same for me.

I took in a breath and without looking injected the syringe into my arm. Pain hissed up my veins. I screamed and fell to my knees. The burning was gone, but it was now replaced by something much worse. My vision was fuzzy and my brain was slurred. Then nothing. The sound of my heart filled my ears.

**Thump thump…..thump thump…thump….thump….th….**


	2. The fading light

Awakening

"Have you scanned her yet." A faint voice mumbled.

" Yes Sir, she is confirmed as negative on the IANN disease, and there is also no trace of any of her previous orange powers," another man said in response. I tried to roll onto my side only to find myself confined to whatever it was I was laying on. I could hear two sets of footsteps rush to my side and when I opened my eyes I could see both figures staring down at me.

The skinny one with a white lab coat backed away. He put his hand through his hair.

" I-I can't believe it. I seriously thought she would never wake up." He shook his head. " This could change everything, we could save everyone." He smiled still staring at me. The other man scowled looking back at the skinny scientist.

" You know we can't do that. We have to find a simpler procedure." This man was larger. He had cropped hair and had about ten weapons on him. Obviously a psi officer.

" I know, but at least now we have hope." He said motioning to me. I stared up at them in confusion. When were they going to let me go? They were talking about me as if I were a lab rat.

I groaned again, and lifted my head ever so slightly, hinting that I wanted out of here. I looked around the room as both men scurried to unclamp my hands.

The room was mostly white, like the room that they had given me the surgery. I shivered at the thought of that. It was different though; it was filled with giant machines and a few random needles.

" Can you walk?" the bulky man asked. I shied away from him as he came to touch my arm that was now free. I clutched my arm to my chest and as the scientist unlatched my second shackle I sat up. My breathing began faster and faster. Had it worked? Were they going to test on me some more? I would rather die.

" Call on someone, she's totally having a break down." He called to the scientist. The man put out a hand to calm me.

" Don't touch me," I yelled. Bile formed in my throat I needed space. Air. My hands were trembling and I had to clutch them to my chest.

My heart beat so loudly that I barely heard the man call out to the people rushing into the room. One man walked up to me and tried to grab my arm, but I just swatted him away. Two psi officers walked up and grabbed my arms, I punched and kicked but they held on. I screamed, and even to my ears it was loud. I needed out. Tears streamed down my face.

They brought me out of the little room and brought me to another room, this one was grey with only a table and two chairs. Kind of like an interrogation room. They sat me down and as soon as they let go I pulled my legs up. There was no point in running away, they would over power me. Everyone left leaving me in the grey room. I felt like one of the crime suspects on one of those police shows that my mother used to hate.

A few seconds later a woman entered the room holding a plate of food and a cup of something steaming. She wore high heels and formal clothing. She set both down in front of me and sat on the other side of the table. She coughed silently before looking at me intensely.

" Hello, my name is Justine and I'm here to help you." She said and I just stared at her. " Would you mind telling me what your name is?" she asked politely. I stared at her.

" Ruby." I said in between silent sobs. She smiled.

" Well isn't that a beautiful name." I buried my face in my arms. Why had I answered her? I guess it had just been so long since I had heard my name that it just felt comforting to actually hear it. " Well Ruby, I understand that you have experienced some severe trauma." I looked at her. What did she think I was? A lost puppy.

She realized that I was obviously too traumatized to answer and continued.

" I know that you probably will not want to talk to me or anyone, but do you understand what this means," she said motioning at me, " you- you gave everyone hope." I squirmed in my seat. She looked down at the food and then back at me.

" You must be hungry, feel free to eat all you want." She said. My stomach growled and I reached out grabbing the plate. I began shoveling the food in my mouth.

I realized then that I probably looked like a crazed person. I had tears streaked down my face and my hair was probably a rat's nest.

My mind began to drift as the lady kept talking. I continued to shovel food and soon my plate was empty. I set it down on the table, still not listening to the lady.

I heaved into the pail by my bed. It had been one day since I woke up on the metal bed, traumatized. In fact I was still traumatized. Every few minutes I would heave into a pail. At night I would scream at the memories. I could remember each single detail, every cut.

Justine had come every few hours, and each time she would ask me what my name is, as if I would forget. They loaded me up with pills. Blue ones, yellow ones, so many that they had to remind me when to take the right one. They left a psi officer on the other side of the door and there was usually someone in the room with me. I don't know why though. Maybe to make sure I wasn't suicidal, cause the thought had occurred to me more than once.

I didn't try to use my powers, but I could feel that they were missing. Justine would touch me, but there was never a flash. Of course I would push her away as soon as possible, but there were times where I was late. My mind felt weak. Unguarded. I felt so open, that sometimes I would bury myself in the covers as a shield.

Ever since my first meal since the surgery, I haven't been able hold down food. I could see myself loosing weight, but there was nothing I could do.

I think it was the pills. The pills definitely did not agree with me. I coughed and leaned back onto my bed. I sniffled trying to push the memory of the surgery as far back as I could. I tried to think happy thoughts. But what was happy anymore. My childhood made me think of my parents, camp was torturous and the surgery was traumatizing.

I looked around and thought of the future. President Grey wanted me to make an appearance so that all the parents would know that there was hope. He planned to do it next week. Then he would probably go through with the surgery on his son and then continue his research. His research that killed almost as much as it saved.

I looked up at the ceiling and imagined escaping. I could find a car, but I didn't know how to drive, I could dress older and get a ticket for a train, assuming they hadn't shut those down in the last five to eight years. What would happen when I was free? I couldn't go back to my parents, cause they wouldn't take me in, they thought I was a monster. My grandma would accept me though.

My last thought before I heaved into the pail, was my way out.


	3. Five second freedom

It was two days before the big announcement. I would be filmed live with President Grey. They told me the idea of this was to give people hope. But the only logical reason I could think was to keep the country in line while he fiddled with our brains some more.

They had moved me to the white house a few days ago, unfortunately they had brought Justine along with them. She had come each day and was getting on my nerves. President Grey had come once and I had to restrain myself from strangling him.

He had come up to me five times in his visit and tried to pat my shoulder or something, each time I had moved away. The truth was I was scared. I used to be just mad at the government, I hadn't been scared, what worse could they do than take us away from our families and lock us up. But now I was frightened. When someone touched me I shied away, scared that they would beat me or terminate the rest of me.

Its true when they had taken away my powers they dissolved a part of me. Sure it wasn't my favorite part, but still it was me. And now I had no idea how to get that part back. I tried each day when people would enter my room. If they managed to touch me I would try to see into their minds, but it was as if it was locked.

I felt bad for Clancy. He would be next. Would he be braver than me?

I'd like to meet the president's kid one day. he was like me. An orange. Or I guess I was no longer an orange I was just me, but I had been like him. But what if Clancy had taken after his father. Did he abuse his powers?

It didn't matter anyways, cause I was getting out of here. I would escape somehow. I would run and never stop running. I would g=find a place, a place where I could hide and be who I wanted. Cause really I wasn't just some colour, or number.

I was Ruby.

Justine came early today. She sat on the chair as I huddled myself in the corner.

" Ruby there are things in this world that you won't understand and what I'm doing now you will never begin to understand." She said in a low hushed tone. I frowned. I had never liked Justine but where did this burst of wisdom come from. In one swift movement she had a gun pointed at my head. The psi soldier at the other end of the room looked up. I gasped as he lifted his rifle, pointing it near my head.

" Don't shoot, you wouldn't want to be the one to kill off hope would you?" I could hear the smirk in her voice. The man shook, he was young and obviously inexperienced. My breathing was quick, this was what I had meant, I was too scared of something like this happening. The guard lowered his weap9on but still held his finger on the trigger.

Quickly Justine fired once hitting the man in the chest. He slumped to the floor as I screamed.

"Shhhhhhh.." she said dropping her arm and letting me go, only to grab my wrist and pull me forward. " Hurry, I'm only trying to get you out of here." I gasped, not because of her declaration, but because I could see it.

Flashes of memories came at me in a swarm. I could see Justine kneeling beside a dead kid, crying, it had been a blue I could tell that much. I could see her holding hands with another man her age, he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Cate." I said without realizing. Justine gasped.

" Yes, how….. you can see it now." A smile broke out on her face. " Hurry we have to go now." I let her drag me out of the room, down two hallways and down a flight of stairs. She pointed to a door.

" you have to go, I have another kid that I have to get." She said urgently. Was she talking about Clancy? " Meet us at the café on 8th street." I didn't think twice, I ran, and I didn't look back.

Once I got outside I sighed. It had been days since I had felt the cool breeze on my cheeks. Should I go to the café, I wasn't sure if I trusted her or not. But seriously, without being able to drive I had nowhere to go. I didn't stop long, soon I was on the run, looking for a café on 8th street.

I found it, but instead of heading inside where people could see me I went down the alley and hid behind a trash can. Soon I heard footsteps, three pair. It was obviously not Justine since she had only said one kid, so I huddled there in the alley, trying to make myself small.

A man and two kids ran up the alley and stopped. I noticed that then man was carrying a gun and decided to stay silent. In two second he had the kids, that were my age, one was a boy and the other a girl, on there knees begging for mercy.

Without any expression on his face he shot the girl than in two seconds he shot the boy. I couldn't stop the scream from exploding out of me. I stared horrified as the man looked at me. he cocked his head, staring right at me.

In three large strides he walked over and grabbed me by my shirt. My breathing was short and quick.

" please, I-I won't tell anyone I swear." I begged, doing exactly as the boy and girl had. The man smirked.

" Ah- you must be one of Cate's." he said accidently whipping his finger against my neck, I gasped at the rush of images. I saw him in some strange compound that seemed to be underground. I could see him shooting some other girl.

I gasped as he pointed his gun at my head. Before he could shoot, we were both launched five feet in the air, my head hit hard against the brick wall. before the darkness claimed me I could see a boy rushing to my side.


	4. Encountering Lady Jane

" Shoot " I whispered under my breath, running to the girl's side. I put two fingers to her wrist waiting to hear her pulse. When I finally felt the faint thump thump I let go of a breath I didn't know I had been holding in. I hadn't meant to throw her back, but the man must have been holding on to her.

My head shoots up as I hear voices talking and footsteps. In one quick motion I swoop up the girl and run. The girl is light and looks to be sixteen or so. She has long dark hair that falls in perfect waves. Her head bounces with each step I take.

My mind races back to a few seconds ago. The man had been about to shoot her. What had she done? Had she escaped from a camp like I had? But what about the other two kids at his feet, he had shot those two first. I had seen.

The girl's breathing was even, but she was going to have a few bruises and maybe a bump on her head. When she had flown through the air she had hit her head hard on the wall. I was just glad she was still alive.

I looked up from the girl to see the black Betty parked in the old shoppers parking lot. As I got closer I could see Zu poke her head out of the van and look at me with wide eyes, probably wondering what the girl in my arms was doing. Chubs was quick to hop out and protest.

" No. Lee drop it." I ran past him and sat the girl in the back seat next to Zu. " Liam, no I refuse to get into the vehicle if you bring her." I sighed looking at Chubs with my expression that read that I wasn't in the mood. Chubs sighed pointing right at me.

" We will talk about this later." He reluctantly got in the passenger seat. I hopped into the drivers seat and started the van. Quickly we drove off.

" Did anyone chase you?" I asked to both of them. Zu shook her head no. Chubs looks at me knowingly.

" You know that Lady Jane was chasing us before we split" I sighed. I _had _seen her. The real question was, had she seen us? One check in my rear view mirror confirmed my worst thought.

" Chubs I need you to take the wheel." Chubs stared at me, we both knew that he could see a maximum of five feet in front of him. " Well its either you, Zu, and well I don't think Zu is really old enough yet." I said, Chubs sighed and I knew I had won him over. I put the van on cruise and moved over so that Chubs could move in. he got in the drivers seat and instantly started to swerve.

I instantly roll down the window focusing on the closest tree zooming past. Before I can get even close to pulling any roots Lady Jane shoots. The bullet skims the side as I duck my head back in the van. I concentrate on the trees once more. I feel the roots ripping apart from the ground as another bullet rips through the air. Zu lets out a little yelp. I give one last tug and let it fly. It bashes in front of the vehicle that Lady Jane is driving. The car swerves and hits the tree. I let out a breath, Chubs sighs and Zu smiles slightly.

I look back at the girl lying unconscious on the seat. I wonder what her story is. What colour is she? Where is her family? All these questions, but chances of her ever trusting me or Chubs or Zu would be slim. At least now she had a chance. A chance at a better life. But one question stuck in the back of my mind. What had she been doing in the alley with a gun to her head?


	5. Avoiding the truth

Heat warmed my skin. I could smell pine and feel hard ground beneath me. I sighed turning over once then slowly opening my eyes. The second my eyes opened a crack my head burst with pain. It felt as if I had been banging my head on a table for hours. It was almost as bad as after the surgery.

Then the image of me frozen in fear in front of the man with the gun arose from my memories. I could see clearly the picture of both the girl and the boy. They're eyes glued open staring aimlessly at the sky.

I burst up and quickly realize how stupid that was. My head is splitting open. I scream. Pain shoots through my whole body. I can only remember bashing my head into a brick wall.

A hand comes and grips my shoulders. I scream even more swatting away there hands but no images come. My screams stop, replaced by slow uneven sobs. Why weren't the stolen memories coming? I looked up at the owner of the hand. A boy leaned over me whispering something to me that I didn't quite process. My mind buzzed so loud that I couldn't even hear him.

Slowly it all seems to sink in.

"Are you okay? We won't hurt you I promise." I moved slowly away from him. What was wrong with me? Before I had blacked out I had had the images…when-when Cate had saved me. why weren't they coming to me now? i closed my eyes bringing my hands to my head and began running my fingers through my hair.

" Are you alright?" he asked again and this time when I opened my eyes there was a small girl at his side. She had darkened skin and beautiful black hair that was cut short. She wore rubber gloves and something that passed as a dress. She looked to be eleven or twelve. Behind them a boy stood with his arms crossed, he gleamed at me with hatred. He had brown hair and glasses that he had to push up each few minutes.

" I-I" I couldn't seem to answer that. I wasn't dead which was a good thing, but I was in pain. So it kind of depended on which scale you were calculating it on. " Where am I?" I asked staring right at the first boy who had come. He had sandy blonde hair and sky blue eyes.

" Well, we are…" he trailed off. " someplace…to tell you the truth I'm not too sure where we are, I'm pretty sure we are heading south. It would help if Chubs here knew how to read a map." He let out a faint laugh before getting up from his crouch and walking over to me. I squirmed away before I hitting a tree.

" Zu, could you get one of the cans?" he asked the girl. So Chubs and Zu. I couldn't imagine naming a kid Chubs so it must be a nick name.

The little girl ran off and came back with a can of beans and a plastic spoon. The can was open and I small trickle of steam oozed out of it. I grabbed the can from the girl and slowly started to eat.

" Who are you guys?" I was surprised by how strong my voice sounded.

" I am Liam, this is Zu and well that's Chubs. But I'm guessing by now you already know that that's just a nick name." Liam smiled sitting down. Chubs let out a puff of air and walked closer to the fire sitting with his back to us.

" I-I'm sorry about your head. That was unintentional, you guys kind of just surprised me." Questions arose when he stated his apology.

" What happened to him?" I asked looking down at the food.

"For all I know, he's still in the alley. But I seriously doubt that. I checked his pulse and by now he should be up." I let out a small breath. The man had been about to kill me but I still couldn't stand the thought of people actually killing others.

" Did some way offend him." I said nodding towards Chubs in between mouth full of beans. Liam chuckled then sighed.

" Chubs, no. he just had a hard past and its been just me Zu and him for a while. It will take a while but he'll warm up to you don't you worry." I continued eating until I realization of what he said soaked in.

" Wait. I couldn't possibly stay with you guys." Liam looked at me surprised almost. " Its-its just that the-" should I tell them about the experimentation or should I just make up a story about getting out of camp? Would they think I was crazy?

" But, you have to at least stay with us for a bit. You know get some food into that stomach of yours and rest up." I stared at him setting the empty can down.

" I guess I could stay for a few days, but I'll have to leave soon. There- there is some people after me. I can't put you guys in that danger. I couldn't risk it." I said. Liam nodded slowly but he still looked sad that I was planning on leaving.

" Lee, can you come here?" Chubs called angrily from where he was sitting by the fire. Liam gave a sad nod to me and got up. As soon as he was gone Zu came zipping in and sat in front of me.

she stared wide eyed at me as if I were some strange creature. I smiled at her and she smiled back. Slowly she crept closer until out feet were touching. I braced myself for the images but they didn't come? Why weren't they coming?

" What's your colour?" I asked her. She dipped her head and for a second I thought she wasn't going to answer but then the car started up suddenly. I gasped, startled. Then she shut it off and nodded to me.

" I-I don't know what I am anymore. I used to have a colour but now I just feel grey inside. as if every colorful thing in life is just gone." I couldn't help avoiding the truth. Did I really want them to know. I could figure all that out later she looked at me curiously. " See I had a colour but then the president experimented on me and now I'm not so sure." I said truthfully. She looked sympathetic and moved closer so that she was sitting right by my side. I smile at this? She had obviously been the only girl in this group for quite some time. She had no other girl to look up to. I couldn't stand the thought of being here for her and then just leaving. She looked up at me and pointed at my head. I understood right away.

" um… yeah my head hurts lots but I'm fine I've been through worse." I said and it was the truth. " so you don't talk much…?" I exclaimed shyly. She looked sad as she looked down and shook her head. Had something happened to her before? Zu looked up at me with tear in her eyes she quickly hugged me and buried her face into my side. Well this was a first. I barely knew this young girl, but still she thought I was a good role model. I slowly hugged her back, remembering a similar time where I had done this to Sam, on the first day of our arrival.


	6. The president's son

I heard giggling before someone shook my shoulders. I jolted upwards almost slamming myself against Zu and Liam, who hovered above me.

" Good morning darling," Liam drawled. Zu giggles some more and grabbed my hand to help me up.

"Thanks," I smile at her and she returns it before running off to where Chubs sits packing his bag. i watched her leave and even though I wasn't looking at Liam I felt his eyes boring into me. when I looked over at him he smiled.

" So I discussed it with Zu and Chubs and both me and Zu agree that it would benefit us all if you would join us," his eyes focus on my eyes for two seconds before I look away.

" Chubs doesn't like me too much does he?" I asked nervously twitching my fingers.

" I wouldn't worry about him. Plus two against one, we win," I didn't know what to think of that. there were surely people after me. After a while of not answering Liam finally added, " If you want that is."

" I would it's just that…. there is people chasing me and I wouldn't want them hurting any of you guys," I said staring directly at Zu. I imagined the president getting his hands on her. He would surely kill her with his experiments. Liam just laughed.

" Aren't there people after all of us," he was right there was people after all of us kids, but none as dangerous as the ones out to find me. the president would send millions of psi officers after me, and there was Cate. I didn't know why she wanted me. did she want the girl who had lost her powers, but then she wouldn't have been happy when I had seen into her mind.

" If you'd like we could always take you to the nearest train station or something," that idea seemed safer. I could travel with them and leave without any of them getting hurt. I nodded slowly.

"Okay then, everyone in the van," Zu hopped into the backseat and I followed. Chubs reluctantly hopped into the front passenger seat. Looking back at me, Chubs sent a death glare. I squirmed back in my seat and looked down.

Zu squirmed over to the middle seat and reached over to grab my hand. I wasn't quick enough to pull away and images flashed before my eyelids. The pain in the images were enough to make the pictures blurred. I winced and shriveled away, pulling my hand far enough that we were no longer touching. Zu looked up at her and then shied away again.

I looked at Zu, sorry that I had pulled away, but she only looked down. I bit my bottom lip and told myself that I had done what I had needed to do, and yet I still felt mean.

" So what's your color, darling," Liam asked, looking at me through the rear view mirror. My colour. My colour? My colour was… orange? But would they be scared then? Would they not want me?

" I don't know," I blurted. It was the truth. Plain and simple. I had no idea if I had a colour anymore. And would it matter. Kids were more than just colours. " My colour had been orange. But I had been taken in for experiment. That was why I had been in Washington." Wow, that was a conversation ender. _So what colour are you?_

_Um… well you see these selfish scientist stuck about a gazillion needles in me and cut me open so I no longer have a colour, except their experiment went wrong so now I like have my ability only on occasions. _Liam stared at me with pity through the rear view mirror and Zu gave me and awe struck look and Chubs just sighed.

" See I told you she was trouble, what now, are we just supposed to get chassed by the whole army just because you two decided she should come," Chubs was practically yelling at me by the end.

"Chubs-" I cut Liam off before he could continue.

" He's right and I knew it. I knew they would be after me, I just thought if I could just get a lift someplace it might work out for both of us. But I was wrong and I was selfish and I know that." I said not looking at anyone.

" See, she admits it, she's a no-good, selfish-" he faltered as the screeching of wheels made us all turn our head. Behind us was a black car that seemed to be chasing us. I swore silently to myself. This was because of me. this was my fault and I owed them a chance.

" Pull over." I said as Liam drove faster ignoring my comment. " Pull over this is my fault and you guys deserve the chance to escape." He shook his head and pressed harder on the pedal.

Praying that my powers were still working I bent over and touched Liam on his arm. Before he knew what I was doing I snuck into his mind. I avoided his memories and every time I saw an image I felt like I was stealing a piece of him. I whispered slowly.

" Pull. Over." Liam as if in a trance pulled to the side of the road and stopped the Black betty. Chubs stared at me as if I were a lunatic, I guess I was. I nodded to him and smiled a Zu before exiting the vehicle. I touched Liam's mind and told him to drive for an hour before he could stop. As soon as I was out Liam, Chubs and Zu drove off. Tears pricked my eyes as I looked at the car. I was dead. They would kill me after showing me off to the world.

I expected psi officers to barrel out and tie me up, but it was to my surprise Clancy grey who stepped out of the car. And he seemed to be alone.

" So they haven't done the procedure on you yet?" I asked for about the millionth time. Clancy smiled.

" No, I tricked my dad, making him think that it was a good idea I went away for a couple of days," he said, and I nodded.

" And when was this?"

" Soon after you escaped. The children's league helped you right?"

" I….. I don't know, all I know is that her name is Cate." Clancy nodded and went back to starring at the road. We had been driving for only fifteen minutes but it felt like forever since I had left the others. " So where exactly are we going?" I asked after a moment of silence.

" we are headed to East River where I have set up a camp for all kids that have escaped." I wondered why I had never heard of it, but I guess people didn't just go screaming the name out all the time.

" So why'd you follow me?" I asked starring at Clancy who starred straight ahead.

" Because you, Ruby, are like me."


	7. Her power

_**Ruby POV**_

I could feel him creep in. Quickly I imagined tiny little people building a brick wall around my head. Securing it. I could feel Clancy push. But the bricks were strong. Then suddenly he pushed again, this time he put enough pressure on my brain for me to release my hold. I screamed and fell to my knees.

" Ruby, are you okay?" he said kneeling down beside me. I groaned and turned to look at him. silently I slipped into his brain. It was only for a few quick moments before he regained his hold and shut me out. I laughed and he smiled at me. " you sneaky trouble maker."

" You know I have got to ask, what is it that's going on inside of you head that you don't want anyone to see, Clancy Grey?" his face became stone, before he slipped a smile on his lips and laughed.

" Really bad stuff. Stuff that you don't want to see." He laughed again. It had been two weeks since Clancy had picked me up on the side of the road. I still felt grief for leaving Zu, Chubs and Liam, but at least I had Clancy. He was helping me become stronger both mentally and physically. There was a crashing noise as someone climbed up the stairs. But I could feel their mind before they entered the room. Liz came crashing in.

"Ruby they found them, I think," she said catching her breath. What? Could they have really found Liam and the crew? I had asked Clancy to help me look for them because felt guilty for leaving them when I thought they were in trouble. I just didn't have time to stop them. Liz scrunched up her face and looked pointedly back and forth between me and Clancy.

" You guys have got to stop doing that. you guys both go into my mind at the same time, and it just too much. Three brains can't fit inside my head you know," she mumbled as she walked out. I gasped and ran down the stairs after her. I could feel Clancy behind me. the brick wall around his mind weighed heavily around me. I ran outside to where a bunch of kids where huddled around Liam, Zu and Chubs. When Liam saw me his face brightened. I ran up to him and smiled. Zu gawked at me and Chubs just mumbled unhappily.

" Oh, so glad your not dead." Oh how I had missed him. Zu ran up to me and hugged my waist. I hugged her back and looked up at Liam who was starring at me, smiling.

" I'm so sorry about what I did. I thought I was putting you all in danger, and after I realized it wasn't dangerous it was too late, you were already gone," I said looking down, ashamed. Zu stepped away and just looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

" Its okay really, I understand. It's just wow I never expected to ever see you again." I noticed then that the crowd had backed off and went back to work. The only people around were me, Liam, Zu, Chubs and Clancy. Clancy stepped forwards and smiled.

" Welcome to east river. I am so glad that you guys already know Ruby, that will make it easier for you to fit in." Liam stared at me and it was only now that I realized that I had never introduced myself to them.

" Ruby," he whispered and his words made me shiver. He smiled at me.

" I can give them the tour if you need to do any work." I said turning to Clancy. He nodded at walked away. I turned back to the others.

" So where should our tour begin?"

_**Liam POV**_

She was there. She came running out beaming like the sun in July. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore plain jeans with a black T-shirt. I couldn't help smile back at her even though she had gone into my mind and made me drive away without her. There was just something about her. Something that made me want to smile.

Zu hugged her and I had to suppress myself from going up and hugging her myself. She apologized and I could tell that every word weighed heavily on her heart. Why? We were just nobody's that picked her up on the street. I guess maybe she felt bad for leaving us without a warning. She dismissed Clancy (I mean like actually Clancy Grey the presidents son.)

She started our tour at her cabin that she decided we could share with her. There were only four beds per cabin and no one else wanted to move in with the orange except for us. She had picked the top bunk where her bed was a messy pile of black blankets pilled up in a heap. She walked us ou5t and began explaining how things worked around here.

" So mostly everyone gets a job around here, tomorrow you will probably be assigned jobs, except for Zu. You will get to go to school," she said and I couldn't help savoring every word she said.

" What's your job other than just hanging around with Clancy Grey all day?" Chubs retorted.

" I help patrol, that way I can sense people before they come." He stared down angrily. In that moment I had to wonder if it was her making me fall so desperately in love with her or was is her using her powers?


End file.
